Mayor, legislators aim for more New Bedford liquor licenses

NEW BEDFORD — Mayor Jon Mitchell has asked the city council to support a home rule petition that would expand the number of liquor licenses in New Bedford.

NEW BEDFORD — Mayor Jon Mitchell has asked the city council to support a home rule petition that would expand the number of liquor licenses in New Bedford.

According to a news release from the mayor's office, a prohibition-era law caps the number of liquor licenses that Massachusetts cities and towns can issue, based on population. New Bedford has 183 liquor licenses. The city says it receives many requests from restaurateurs, but there are no more liquor licenses available.

The new law, which Mitchell says he has worked on closely with State Sen. Mark Montigny, State Rep. Antonio F. D. Cabral, and city councilors, would provide New Bedford with 25 additional alcohol licenses and would encourage economic development and private investment in the city.

According to the mayor, the lack of liquor licenses has a negative impact on economic development in New Bedford.

“Insufficient supply has driven up the price of licenses and created a serious barrier to entry,” Mitchell said in the press release. “In addition, start-up restaurants by their nature face competitive challenges, so it is particularly important for them to be able to count on alcohol sales which constitute a significant portion of their revenue. Without liquor licenses, these start-up restaurants too often struggle to stay afloat.”

The release also said that recent planning and business studies all support the creation of additional liquor licenses as an important economic development tool that will help New Bedford grow its economic base and spur further investment in the city.

City Council President Joseph P. Lopes said the effort is an example of legislators and city officials “working together for the betterment of our existing restaurant owners and entrepreneurs. who want to continually meet the needs and wants of their customers."

If the measure receives the City Council's support, the petition will be filed with the House of Representatives for its approval and must also pass in the Senate.

“The securing of additional liquor licenses for new full service restaurants in the Downtown and other revitalization areas will enhance our dynamic arts and cultural districts and further stimulate economic growth in them,” Montigny said in the release.

“I will work with the City as it seeks additional licenses as a way of encouraging new businesses to locate in New Bedford,” Cabral said. “Creating new jobs across every neighborhood remains critical to our City's success.”